Penguin Random House India has reportedly pulled out of publishing Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s much-anticipated memoir Belonging: A Journey of Love in India.
HarperCollins is reportedly close to finalising an agreement to publish and distribute the memoir in India. The memoir was scheduled for an international release on November 10 through Alfred A Knopf, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Knopf earlier announced an initial print run of 1 lakh copies.
This came after a disagreement over “editorial changes and deletions” sought by PRHI in a section of the manuscript, The Indian Express reported. The changes were not accepted by Sonia Gandhi , the report said. With Penguin India no longer in the picture, several publishers are said to be interested in the book.
The book is also expected to address her decision not to become prime minister after the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance came to power following the 2004 Lok Sabha election.
In the publisher’s announcement, Sonia Gandhi said, “Much has been written about my family, but few narratives were able to reach into the truth of their motivations, their actions and even their human failings…My story also offers readers a unique perspective of the social and political changes I have witnessed for six decades. Earlier this year, the publisher said it had “not printed” former Army chief General M M Naravane’s memoir Four Stars of Destiny , after a copy of the book was displayed by Rahul Gandhi in Parliament.
Belonging: A Journey of Love is expected to chronicle Sonia Gandhi’s journey from her childhood in post-war Italy to her move to India and marriage to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi .
